coffin



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. OOIPIN.

APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE COOLING OF RAILROAD RAILS.

No. 368,182. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

=umm "HI I HlliWWilli m II- m 5 Phohrulhpgnphen Waihlnglan n c 4Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. OOFPIN.

APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE COOLING 0F RAILROAD RAILS.

Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

2 0mm a as w 5 wv c 1 1 F0 1 J Gum/n01 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. GOPFIN. APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE 000mm 0]? RAILROAD RAILS.

Patented Aug lxh tmeooea N. PETERS. Plmluiithngnpher, Washington. D. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. COFPIN.

APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE COOLING OF RAILROAD RAILS. No. 368,132.Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

N. PETERS Pholo-Limagraphur. Washlnglon. n cy UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE,

JOHN COFFIN, OF JOHNSTOTVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE OAMBRIA IRONCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE COOLING F RAILROAD-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,132, dated August9, 188'].

Serial No. 239,462. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN COFFIN, of Johnstown, in the county of Cambriaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes of Toughening Steel Rails and other Bars; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it ap r0 pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the manufacture of steel railroad-rails andother steel bars; and it consists in a method of cooling said rails andbars after they leave the rolls, so as to 1 give them a greater amountof toughness and strength. As steel is rolled in the modern mills itleaves the rolls very hot, for the tendency of progress has been towardquicker work; and for several reasons, among them the great no wear offinishing-rolls and severe strains on the mill, it is not practicable towork at colderheats.

It has been discovered by numerous experiments that as a steel barleaves the finishing 2 5 rolls, no matter at what heat, the structuralarrangement of its molecules is such as to give great strength andtoughness if this arrangement can be maintained. If, however, it leavesthe rolls very hot, a coarse and weak structure is formed while coolingslowly; but if cooled rapidly through a certain range of temperaturesuch bad structure has not time to form.

The object of my invention is to maintain 5 the good structure due torolling steel bars by cooling rapidly until a temperature is reached atwhich no further harm takes place. Although my invention is particularlyadapted to railroad-rails, and the devices herein shown are betteradapted to toughen railroad-rails than any other form of bar, yet I donot wish to confine myself to this particular class of work, as by amodification of the gripping device other forms of steel bars may besuccess- 5 fully operated upon.

The method of accomplishing the result I seek is as follows: After thecrop ends are sawed from the hot rail it is immediately pushed intosuitable gripping-jaws attached to a strong girder or supportingtable,which is then moved, bearing the rail with it, so as to bring therail-head downward in a tank of water, entirely immersing the rail andcxposing its head portion to a shower of submerged jets, the object ofthese jets being to cool the head more rapidly than the remaining partof the rail, not to make it colder, but to bring it to the same heat,for at the time at which the rail is immersed the head is the hottestportion; and, furthermore, the metal being thicker in the head, theremaining portion of the rail would become colder than the head if therail were only immersed and no special means adopted to carry off theheat faster per unit of surface from the head. Vhile it is 6g coolingand coming to a uniform temperature in the water it is held by thebefore-mentioned grips at suitable intervals to keep it straight. Afterit is cooled a proper degree it is removed from the water, being heldfirmly by the grips 73 attached to the table before mentioned, and deposited by suitable rolls or mechanical devices onto a cooling-bed andallowed to slowly cool.

To work the invention successfully the rail should be put in thecooling-bath as soon as 7 possible after being rolled, and removed fromthis bath at a time when there is enough heat remaining in the interiorportion of the rail to bring the rail to a low red heat in the darkafter the heat has uniformly diffused itself. so

I will now describe the apparatus I use to bring my invention intoeffect.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this description, Figure 1 is anend elevation of the rail-cooling apparatus, with the railin po- 8 5sition on the swinging table with its flange and head resting ondeliveryrolls. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the rail-cooling apparatus,with the rail held by the swinging table in a position in the bosh orwater-trough to receive jets of water upon its head. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of one end of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a plan view of onehalfof the device, the opposite end being an exact duplicate of the portionshown.

A is a strong platten or table, preferably made of wrought-iron platesthat are riveted together or made integral in a manner to affordnecessary rigidity and prevent warping under the influence of unequalexpansion and zoo contraction of its surface. 7 This table is madesomewhat longer than the rail to be toughened, and for which it isdesigned to afford a stable support while undergoing treatment.

At each end of the table A the frames B are erected, one of which isshown in the drawings. The frame at the opposite end of the table,together with all its attachments or connected mechanism, being exactduplicatesof the portions shown, it is deemed unnecessary to illustratethese duplicate parts. Extending. through the frames 13, and supportedin journal-boxes formed on these frames, is a main shaft, 0, upon whichare mounted the cranks D, that are located and secured to the shaft atsuch points as to engage with their outer ends the wrist-pins E, whichlatter are rigidly secured to the table A. F are brackets thatare forkedto extend and be attached to the ends of the tableA at two separatedpoints, 6 6', (see Fig. 2,) and thus produce stiffening braces for theends of the table, as well as a means of connecting this table A withthe longitudinally-extending shaft H, which is supported in boxes on theframes B at 8, this connection being effected by the twin links'G, thatare pivoted at 'I to the bracket Fby one of the ends, the opposite endsbeing attached to the shaft H. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

As the table A is made to occupy two principal positions while theapparatus is in use,

one horizontal and the other vertical, these changes of location areexhibited in the figures. An inspection of Figs 1 and 4 shows thehorizontal position, the table being exhibited as vertically adjusted inFigs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Gripping devices are located at spaced intervals on the flat surface ofone side of the table A. These grips, that are intended to grasp andhold the rail in position upon the table A, are located at severalpoints on this table; but as they are all alike but one is shown, and adescription of one will answer for the entire series.

J and K are grip-bars. J is firmly attached to the girder A. K ispivoted on the pivot a,

- which passes through the brackets 71 b, thatin turn are firmly affixedto the table A. The grip-lever K extends beyond the pivot a, and isconnectedby connecting blocks 0 to the plungerchwhich works in thehydraulic cylinder L. It is also farther extended with a curved form toclear a portion of the table A, and carries on its outer end thecounterpoiseweight 0. The hydraulic cylinder L is served through thepipe f, which has some suitable flexible connection with the pressuresystem from which power is derived. The frame B is formed with twoupright sides, 9 9, Fig. 2. Between these two upright sides,and attachedto the main shaft 0 by means of a diagonal pin, is a gear-wheel, M,which engages withthe rack N, that is attached to the hydraulicpistonrod 1?, which is actuated by the piston situated within the mainhydraulic cylinder Q.

Ingress and egress openings, with suitable I gripping-jaws J K.

controlling devices,(n0t shown,) are provided,

so that the hydraulic piston, carrying. with it its piston-rod P andrack N, may be moved from one end to the other of its stroke at the willof the operator.

R is the water-tank or bosh, provided with a perforated pipe,h, runningthrough itlengthwise, as shown in the drawings, and so situated thatwhen the rail is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the submergedjets willbe projected on the head ofthe rail. 2' is one of a series ofpusher-bars to move the rail sidewise when it is brought into positionto be engaged by these bars, which have'alimited movement endwise, theybeing actuated by machinery that is not shown. Any suitable method ofmoving these bars may be utilized. The

position assumed by the rail after it has been shoved by the pusher-barsz'is shown in plan view, Fig. 4. e

k is a stop-block that is attached to the gripjaw J, and bears againstthe lower surface of the base-flange of the rail when the rail is placedinthe position shown in Fig. 4. This stop-block 7c is intended torestrict the pushing movement just described, and hold the rail inproper position to be engaged by the S S are two of a series of drivenrollers that are properly supported and rotated to transport a railplaced on them away from the table A of the apparatus, which has beendescribed, the driving meehanism that rotates the rollers S, and bytheir agency moves a rail endwise to the cooling-table,is not shown.

T is one of apair of gear-wheels attached to each end of shaft 0.

m is a shaft passing through both main frames, B, it being supported torevolve in revolve through half of a circ1e,or one hundred and eightydegrees.

Having now described the several parts of my invention, I will proceedto show how it works, following-the rail from the time it is sawed untilit is delivered on the cooling-beds.

The line 0 1) represents the position of the rail while it is beingsawed. We will suppose the rail is in this position ready for treatment.The pusher-bars 6 push it up to the position shown in Fig. 3, and holdit against the stops it, while water is admitted to the hydrauliccylinder L through the flexible connection and orifice f, therebyraising the plunger d, and, through the connection 0, raising the outerend of the grip-lever K, which turns on the pivot a and firmlygrips therail in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Pressure is then admittedto the hydraulic cylinder Q, so:

1 from one position to the other ment being almost vertical.

2 in this position for a short 0 ered on its cooling-bed.

55 tion, when carried into effect as shaft 0, the crank D is therebyrevolved through the half circle and comes to the position shown in Fig.2, carrying with it the table A. The location of the lever G, and its 5length together, with the length of the crank D, determine the positionof the table A, the proportion being such between these parts and theirconnections that while the crankis turning through an angle of onehundred and [O eighty degrees the swinging table Ais turned through anangle of ninety degrees at the same time, being carried over from theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to that shown in Fig. 2. The motion ofthe rail in its movement is something as follows: It is first raisedalmost vertically, then carried over horizontally, and at the same timeturned. It is then lowered to its second position, the latter part ofthis move- Having now brought the rail to the position shown in Fig. 2,it is entirely immersed by the movement in the bosh R, and its head isexposed to ashower of water from the immersed jets. After being time theaction of the apparatus is reversed and the rail is delivered in itsfirst position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The delivery-rolls S are nowstarted by suitable mechanism and the rail is deliv- The temperature ofthe rail is now such that there is some incandescence shown in thediffused daylightof the mill, and in the dark it is an even low red. Itis necessary that the cranks D on each end of the girderA should work inunison, and as the rigidity of the shaft 0 is not enough to assure thisthe shaft m, with its gear-connections, is introduced to help attainthis result. It has been previously stated that the two to main frames Bare exact duplicates in all their parts and attachments. Itwill beunderstood that the one not shown at the other end of the girder alsocarries a hydraulic cylinder and rack, the fluid inlet and outlet pipesbeing so connected to both cylinders that the two pistons will work inunison. Therefore the torsional strains to be provided for are mainlyaccidental.

I am aware that a process has been devised 0 by which the heads of steelrailroad=rails are hardened by means of jets of water made to impingeupon them. I do not claim such a process or a rail so hardened; nor do Iseek to harden a rail-head or a steel bar. My invenherein described,does not attain it, as I do not cool or try to cool the head more thanother parts of the rail, but by sprays of water thrown upon it I causeit to be so reduced in temperature that when removed to the table theheat will be uniformly diffused through the entire body of the rail andtoughened structural mass result from the operation.

It is evident that analogous features of con struetion may be adopted tocarry into effect the process herein described; hence I do not desire tobe restricted to exact forms and arrangement of parts shown; but,

Having fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process herein described of toughening asteel railroad-rail orother steel bar, 0011- sisting of immersing it in a suitable coolingbathas soon as may be after it has been rolled, partially cooling ittherein, and then removing this steel bar or rail from the bath whilethere is sufficient heat remaining in the rail to bring the whole massby diffusion to a low red heat in the dark, substantially as set forth.

2. The process herein described, consisting of clamping a steelrailroad-rail or steel bar in a rigid position to prevent warping ortwisting of its body, and afterward immersing and spraying jets upon itto reduce the temperature measurably, leaving sufficient heatin the massto bring it when diffused to a low red heat in the dark, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or steel bars, thecombination, with a bosh or water-trough, of a swinging table, a supportfor the table, and a means of swinging the table, substantially as setforth.

4. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with a bosh or water trough, of a frame, a swinging table, and a meansof swinging the table on the frame, sub stantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with two end frames, of a swinging table supported to rock or swingedgewise on these frames, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with two end frames, of a swinging table pivoted at its ends andsupported to swing edgewise on the end frames, substantially as setforth.

7. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with a bosh, of two end frames and aswinging table pivotally supportedon the frames, substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with a bosh, of two end frames, a swinging table, and a means ofswinging the table edgewise, substantially as set forth.

9. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with a supportingframe, of a swinging table pivoted at its ends on theframe, and clamping devices that are attached to the swinging table,substantially as set forth.

10. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with two frames that are adapted to swingingly support a flat tablebetween their uprights, of a swinging table and a series ofgripping-jaws arranged to hold a bar or rail on the table, substantiallyas set forth.

11. In an apparatus for toughening steel bars or rails, the combination,with two frames IIC that are adapted to swingiuglysupport a flat tablebetween their upright portions, of a swinging table pivoted on its ends,a series of gripping-jaws, and ahydraulic motor to operate thegrip-jaws, substantially as set forth;

12. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with two duplicate frames that have uprights, a flat swinging table thatis supported pivotally between the uprights of the duplicate frames, anda series of gripping jaws attached to the swinging table, a hydraulicmotor to close the gripjaws and hold them closed, and a means ofswinging the table edgewise, substantially as set forth.

13. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails or bars, the combination,with a swinging table supported to be transferred laterally from ahorizontal to a perpendicular position and the reverse, of a hydraulicmotor and mechanism by which the table is transferred or made to swing,substantially as set forth.

14. In an apparatus for toughening steel rails, the combination, with aswinging table, frames to support the table, gripping-jaws, and a motorto move the jaws, of a hydraulic motor to swing the table, and a bosh orwater trough to receive the table when it is transferred from ahorizontal to a vertical position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN COFFIN.

Witnesses:

A. S. ELDRIDGE, AUG. YOUNG.

